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Elissa Hubbard, a former gambling addict, has shared her story(Image: Adferiad)<\/p>\nNewlywed Elissa Hubbard spent her wedding night locked to her mobile phone playing casino games. She had now opened up over her battle with addiction in a bid to help others<\/p>\n
04:00, 10 Nov 2025Updated 06:07, 10 Nov 2025<\/p>\n
Elissa Hubbard, a former gambling addict, has shared her story(Image: Adferiad)<\/p>\n
It was meant to be the happiest day of her life. Elissa Hubbard had just got married in the sun soaked isles of Cyprus, on a night that should have been spent with her new wife looking forward to their long future together.<\/p>\n
The reality, however, was quite different. The newlywed was sat in the hotel lobby, alone, locked to her mobile phone, playing casino games. But something that should have been a bit of fun and a harmless flutter, was actually something far more serious.<\/p>\n
Elissa was gambling all the money she and her wife had been gifted on their special day, losing it all in quick fashion.<\/p>\n
This wasn’t a first time occurrence for the now 39-year-old.<\/p>\n
That moment was at the height of a gambling addiction. They first seeds of which were sown when she was the tender age of just nine.<\/p>\n
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Elissa was first introduced to the world of gambling through fruit machines in pubs(Image: Getty Images\/iStockphoto)<\/p>\n
Elissa would visit local pubs with her family and would make use of a fruit machine, an interest that spiralled as she went through her life and developed an interest in online casino games.<\/p>\n
The former plasterer would work day-to-day, just to help fund her gambling, rushing home to wager her daily earnings online.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cMost days, I would skip my basic needs like lunch, I was constantly thinking about getting home to gamble online.<\/p>\n
“I got sacked by several jobs because I would take cash-in-hand for jobs and would use the money for my addiction.”<\/p>\n
At its worst, she was losing \u00a340,000 a year, taking out payday loans, and hiding her secret from loved ones.<\/p>\n
She said things came to a head her ex-partner confronted her about the wedding money gifted by their family and friends.<\/p>\n
And as the truth came out, she lost everything.<\/p>\n
Her marriage, her home, her stepchildren, her job, and her dignity, were all lost.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy wife had absolutely no idea what had been going on, she said I had basically lived a double life,” she said. \u201cIt cost me everything; my marriage, my step-kids, my home, and job.”<\/p>\n
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Elissa gambled away the money she and her new wife were gifted for their wedding in a hotel lobby in Cyprus(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Facing uncertainty after her truth was revealed, a member of Elissa\u2019s family pointed her in the direction of an Adferiad pathway to combat addictions and improve mental health.<\/p>\n
After an assessment, she was referred to Adferiad\u2019s Parkland Place rehabilitation unit in north Wales.<\/p>\n
“It was the best feeling I\u2019d had in a long, long time \u2014 getting the dates to go into treatment and knowing I was finally getting help,” she said.<\/p>\n
Here, Elissa learned more about the science related to addiction and was empowered to improve her self-worth through the vital work of counselling and education.<\/p>\n
However, recovery is rarely a straight line, and after leaving support, Elissa relapsed, turning to alcohol and prescription drugs, once again finding herself in crisis.<\/p>\n
Recognising she needed more help, she sought guidance from Parkland Place, where she was also directed to North Wales Recovery Communities, a recovery support group that networked individuals from similar experiences.<\/p>\n
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Elissa has now turned her life around with the support of Adferiad(Image: Adferiad)<\/p>\n
\u201cI found out a lot about myself,” she said. “I don\u2019t hate everyone \u2013 I just hated myself. People lift you up from similar experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, Elissa has transformed her life, taking her lived experience to support others within Adferiad.<\/p>\n
Living in Rhyl, Denbigshire, she has given her guidance and experience to support residents of Parkland Place for the past three years, helping individuals navigate various addictions through counselling.<\/p>\n
The 39-year-old now works as a Welsh Women\u2019s gambling coordinator for Adferiad, where she delivers guidance to individuals, all over Wales, facing issues with addiction.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t carry that shame anymore,\u201d she said. \u201cThe past is the past, and I\u2019m doing something about it today. I feel like I\u2019m turning all the negative stuff into positive \u2014 to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gambling Addiction – The Facts<\/p>\n
There are 340,000 adult gambling addicts in the UK, with a further two million \u201cat risk\u201d.<\/p>\n
55,000 young people aged 11-16 are addicted to gambling.<\/p>\n
Research in the UK found that 4%-11% of suicides were related to gambling \u2013 equivalent to 250-650 deaths per year in the UK.<\/p>\n
Gambling addicts are three to four times more likely to attempt to kill themselves than other types of addict.<\/p>\n
More than half of people playing FOBTs are addicted to gambling or at risk.<\/p>\n
Nearly half of people playing casino games online are addicted or at risk.<\/p>\n
27.9% of people gambling online are addicted or at risk .<\/p>\n
Only 33% of people think that gambling is fair and can be trusted; 71% think that it is dangerous to family life.<\/p>\n
The industry made nearly \u00a314bn gross profit in 2015-16, but contributed just \u00a38m to pay for research, education and treatment.<\/p>\n
Just 2% of addicts were able to access treatment \u2013 compared to 15%-20% for drugs and alcohol addictions.<\/p>\n
The GamCare treatment network is not linked in any way to the NHS, so 90% of those who receive treatment are self-referrals.<\/p>\n
SOURCE: www.gamblingwithlives.org<\/p>\n
Elissa actively campaigns for tighter restrictions around gambling, including the removal of gambling-related machines in all public-facing spaces, such as pubs and family entertainment centres often found at holiday parks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember first using a fruit machine at a young age by visiting pubs with family,” she said. “Children are often exposed to these environments at a young age, and I don\u2019t think people appreciate that they can have a knock-on effect on their later lives.”<\/p>\n
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